The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria has called on security authorities to urgently criminalise and strictly enforce laws prohibiting ransom payments as a strategy to end the persistent wave of kidnappings across the country.
The appeal was contained in an open letter issued on Saturday in Kaduna by the NYCN National President, Isah Abubakar, and addressed to the National Security Adviser and other top security officials.
The letter, dated January 3, 2026, was also copied to the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the service chiefs, and the Inspector-General of Police.
Abubakar said the letter was written on behalf of the NYCN and millions of Northern youths who continue to suffer the consequences of widespread insecurity affecting their communities.
He noted that despite the efforts of what he described as gallant security forces, kidnapping has remained lucrative because of the continued payment of ransoms by distressed individuals and corporate organisations.
The NYCN, therefore, urged security authorities to adopt a firm position by ensuring the strict enforcement of laws that outlaw ransom payments.
Abubakar emphasised that ransom payments provide the “oxygen of banditry” and help sustain the kidnapping enterprise.
He explained that every ransom paid equips criminal groups with funds to purchase weapons, support logistics, and recruit additional fighters.
The NYCN president warned that the payment of ransom inadvertently subsidises terrorism and contributes to national destruction.
He called for the immediate gazetting and widespread publicisation of existing legal frameworks that criminalise ransom payments.
Abubakar stressed that such laws must not merely exist on paper but should be clearly communicated and known to all Nigerians.
According to him, enforcing the law without fear or favour remains the only effective means of breaking the demand-and-supply cycle that fuels kidnapping.
Abubakar also urged security agencies to prioritise intelligence-led rescue operations involving drones, signal interceptors, and rapid response teams.
He said the deployment of advanced technology should replace financial negotiations as the primary method of rescuing kidnapped victims.
Abubakar further advised corporate organisations to channel funds used for ransom payments into private security partnerships and state-backed protection schemes.
He acknowledged the emotional trauma families endure when their loved ones are abducted.
However, he cautioned that private ransom payments often result in a broader public disaster.
Mr Abubakar appealed to Nigerians to collectively reject actions that enrich criminal groups through ransom payments.
He added that the NYCN was willing to collaborate with the NSA to sensitise grassroots communities on the dangers of ransom payments.
Mr Abubakar stated that history would judge Nigeria by the courage it displays in 2026 to dismantle what he described as the marketplace of human misery.
He concluded by calling for criminal liability for families, corporate bodies, and associations involved in negotiating or paying ransoms.
He also urged stronger corporate accountability measures in addressing kidnapping threats nationwide.
